Chinese Business Etiquette--Book Review

If there you are only going to buy two books to read on the flight over to China they should be McGregor’s “One Billion Customers” and Seligman’s “Chinese Business Etiquette. Of the 30+ books on China that I’ve read in the past two years these are easily the best two.Simply put, Scott D. Seligman gets it. He not only understands China but he presents that understanding in a business context that is easy to understand and apply. This book is more than “don’t stand your chop sticks up” it explains the nitty gritty of getting what you want within a system that is, despite surface appearances, very foreign.Many books on culture attempt to explain what you may (or may not) see as “Chinese Culture.” But Seligman instead details what exactly are some of the differences are between China and the West, what they really mean when doing business and how you can adapt to your situation. This is specific, hands on information. It’s like having a personal assistant to help you navigate the Chinese business environment.This book covers all the stuff that you usually have to learn on your own in the painful first weeks of an overseas assignment: face, connections, business meeting etiquette, how to dress, where to sit, keeping in touch and manners for communications, just enough history to give you context not too much to bore you, personal relationships, gifts and how to really get things done.This book is easy to read, small and succinct enough to carry with you on each trip to China and will always be of value to those who honestly want to know “how to do business in China.”